Skip to main content
DistrictCampusDirectory
CAMPUS

Child Nutrition FAQ

General Information

See Forms Link Under Staff resources- sack Lunch Request Form

CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS

National School Lunch Program
The National School Lunch Act, passed in 1946, established school lunch programs across the nation. The purpose of the
program was to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation's children and to encourage the consumption of agricultural
abundance.The National School Lunch Program is available to any public or private nonprofit school or licensed residential child care institution. The objectives of the National School Lunch Program are to make available to all students enrolled in schools and
institutions a meal during a period designated as the lunch period; to provide nutritionally adequate meals that are acceptable
to students, thus reducing plate waste; to provide assistance to participants to ensure that minimum meal requirements are met;
and to ensure that all programs are accountable. School districts and residential child care institutions may receive reimbursement
for lunches served to enrolled students at predetermined rates established for free, reduced-price, or full-price meals each fiscal
year. In 1995, the federal government implemented regulations that require all school lunches and breakfasts to be consistent with the recommendation for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule established specific minimum standards for calories and key nutrients that meals must meet.


National School Breakfast Program
Established by federal legislation in 1966, the School Breakfast Program received permanent authorization in 1975. The purposes
of this program are to make breakfast available in schools for students who, for various reasons, come to school without an
adequate breakfast and to increase the number of school breakfast programs by continuing to notify all nonbreakfast-program
schools as to the availability of the program. As with the National School Lunch Program, any public or private nonprofit school or licensed residential child care institution is eligible to benefit from the School Breakfast Program. School districts and residential child care institutions may receive reimbursement for breakfasts served to enrolled students at predetermined rates established for free, reduced-price, or full-price meals each fiscal year. In 1995, the federal government implemented regulations that require all school lunches and breakfasts to be consistent with the recommendation for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule established specific minimum standards for calories and key nutrients that meals must meet.


After-School Snack Program
The After-School Snack Program was created to provide after-school snacks to children who participate in an organized
after-school enrichment or educational program. The after-school program must provide children with regularly scheduled activities
in a structured and supervised setting and must be run by a school that is operating the National School Lunch Program.
Schools participating in the After-School Snack Program may claim reimbursement for one snack per child per day for participating
children enrolled in public school. A qualifying after-school program located in an attendance area of a school site in which at least
50 percent of the enrolled students are certified for free or reduced-price meals may receive reimbursement for snacks served
to students at the free rate. A qualifying after-school program located in an attendance area that does not meet the 50 percent
free and reduce-price criteria may receive reimbursement for snacks served to students at the free, reduced-price, or full-price
rates established each new fiscal year.


Last updated on July 31, 2014